Alexandria, Campbell County, KentuckyFamily sources state that James J. Parish was born in Campbell County, Kentucky. The death certificate of his son, David G Parish, states that his father was born "Alex. Ky". Alexandria is the county seat of Campbell.

According to this source, he was born c.1822 in Carthage. (His grave marker says he was born 1825 -- but it gets his death year wrong so his birth year may also be incorrect. Because his brother, George is also thought to have been born c.1882, the book suggests they may have been twins. (No other evidence of this, however.)